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Strava PRs…

Me, like quite a lot of runners and cyclists are on Strava. I’ve been on it since the early days, I can’t remember when but I remember when that was it was easy to get KoMs around Edinburgh and beyond. I used to make segments and hunt them down.

Getting a KoM was a bit of a boost for an amateur runner. I’ve never ever got a KoM for cycling, not even top 10 or probably top 50!

Back then PRs were a plenty too, I’d get that notification that I gained many Prs and perhaps som top 10 trophies too.

Also when KoM were stolen I’d quickly log in to see who took it and more often or not it would be a guy in a tri suit with GBR written on it as their avatar. And I’d be Ok with that though secretly thinking that proper athletes should have a separate list.

Anyway, fast forward many years and I’m still on Strava. The past few years when I went into ultras they number of PRs on each run would reduce with maybe a bronze of a silver thrown in as I naturally slowed down. What also happened was that I became an easy zone 2 runner. Though running for long times are zone 2, none of the runs hurt in the way that zone 5 hurts. These runs I’d just get tired.

Returning from injury I’m still reluctant to get into longer distances but I am doing more zone 3/4/5 runs and lo and behold the gold PRs are starting to appear again. Encouraging really that I am able to beat past self times and that speed is still something I can do. At the ripe age of 36 there is still some speed in these legs. I am good that I never compare myself to others and I don’t feel disheartened that there may be 1633 people faster than me over segments. I feel happy if I am beating my own times.

It makes me feel like I could get some PBS over the usual distances. Though I do have some good PBs I’m proud of so I think it may be hard to get them. Plus they’re on tarmac so I’d have to transition back to the road. Trail is where my heart is.

I’m torn though. Do I try to run short but fast or get back to going long?

I do know though that running shorter and faster I’m having more of those runs where the breathing is hard, there’s lactic acid in my legs and lungs and I sometimes get that sick feeling. But finishing is good.